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60: How to Help Kids Cope with Needle Pokes

SHOW SUMMARY:

Needle phobia is not just a childhood phase - it can shape health decisions for decades. Dr. Jody Thomas of the Meg Foundation joins the ADHD Mom Docs to talk to parents and providers how to turn panic into calm with simple, evidence-based strategies that actually work. Dr. Thomas, a pain psychologist, Stanford-trained expert in pediatric pain, and founder and CEO of the Meg Foundation, breaks down why pain is so often misunderstood and why the old “just hold them still” approach can create more fear, not less. Alongside Dr. Jennifer Dilts and Dr. Nerissa Bauer, she shares the real-world tools families can use before a vaccine, blood draw, or procedure to make the experience less traumatic for everyone involved.

You'll discover:

  • Why telling kids about a shot too late makes anxiety worse
  • How numbing cream, comfort positioning, breathing, distraction, and vibration can change the entire experience
  • Why parents' own stress can predict a child’s distress
  • How the Meg Foundation’s free poke plan helps kids, teens, and caregivers prepare together

Dr. Thomas and Dr. Dilts explain how the Meg Foundation’s tool to create a "poke plain", pain myths and facts resources, give kids more control, more confidence, and more relief. If you parent a child with ADHD, care for a needle-averse kid, or want better answers for pain that keeps coming back, this episode is packed with practical takeaways you can use right away. Essential listening for families who want more calm, less struggle, and a smarter way to approach pain.

SHOW NOTES:

  • Make sure to follow us on social media (Instagram) @ADHDMomDocs you can send us a DM with a question or suggestions for future episodes! Or send us an email at [email protected] We'd love to hear from you!
  • Join our ADHD Sleuths 2.0 Membership community and get even more time with Dr Bauer and Dr Dilts! Get extra podcast episodes, group coaching sessions, participate in our exclusive book club with audio companions and extra expert recorded episodes with guests from medicine, psychology, coaching, education and more! We have a private group in the Band app so you can interact with other members. Learn more here: https://www.letstalkkidshealth.org/join-adhd-sleuths  Sign up for $15/month and cancel anytime
  • Connect with our guest and explore the Meg Foundation website and all its great resources:
    • Website: megfoundationforpain.org
    • IG:@megfoundationforpain

And parents, don't fear...we will be having Dr Thomas back for a SECOND episode coming in a few short weeks!